Friday’s Letters: Do skill sets match the city’s aspirations?

Edmonton aspires to be a world-class city, evident by the efforts of visionary city councils. But do we have the matching planning and technical skill sets in our city staff to achieve these objectives? Some recent examples of poor management include:

Edmonton aspires to be a world-class city, evident by the efforts of visionary city councils. But do we have the matching planning and technical skill sets in our city staff to achieve these objectives?

Some recent examples of poor management include:

1. Girders on the 102nd Avenue over Groat Road Bridge buckled and there have been few specifics as to why.

2. We’re told problems with the Metro LRT line to NAIT were to be expected, with no mention of project management and quality control issues.

3. The 23rd Avenue drainage project, which was over budget and schedule, involved tunnelling that was started without soil tests.

4. The delay in replacing the Walterdale Bridge was laid at the supplier’s feet and not the city’s project management skills.

6. The whole of South Edmonton Common is a nightmare of roads and parking lots.

7. Whitemud Drive widening seemed to go on forever and was completed only when the mayor intervened.

8. Road repairs last one season before we see the same contractors working them over again and again. The city has blamed the “freeze-thaw cycle,” yet Calgary does not seem to have this phenomenon. Sub-surface preparation, compaction standards, removal of top asphalt prior to relaying, poor supervision and quality control are never cited as issues.

9. Putting a reverse camber from Whitemud Drive onto Terwillegar Drive was cited as a “safety feature” when the transportation manager of the day addressed an APEGGA (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta) seminar years ago that left us aghast. It was fixed subsequently, as drivers would need to slow down considerably to negotiate the curve safely.

There might be a case for infusing accountability and professionalism into the system, as well as a higher level of competence. The question is, will our council really take up the task?

Atanu Das, P. Eng, Edmonton

Correct stance on art

Re: “Don’t tie public input, art,” Editorial, July 16

This excellent editorial is well reasoned and rational.

The process that was defined is the correct one — public art should be chosen by a group of astute people who understand the bigger picture, so to speak. It must spark public discussion, which will lead to appreciation and be enduring.

The quote from Sir Winston Churchill has both wisdom and the solution to many of our current global problems.

Lamphier’s interpretation of the quote has an admitted capitalistic bias that plays on the virtues of capitalism, rather than its vices. However, it is through the inherent virtues of socialism’s “equal sharing of miseries” that the vice of capitalism, “the unequal sharing of blessings,” will make this world a more human and compassionate place.

Pope Francis sees the wisdom in Churchill’s quote and after my reading of his latest encyclical, On Care for Our Common Home, I’ll stick with Francis. He’s got it right.

Wilf Borgstede, St. Albert

Cyclists, be responsible

Until cyclists are required to get a licence for their bikes and pass a test on the rules of the road, forget about bike lanes.

Vera Hausauer, Edmonton

Accelerating warming

B.C.’s intention to crack down on those who deliberately start wildfires comes as welcome news.

Presumably the first target of this legislation will be Premier Christy Clark, for the irresponsible manner in which she proposes to release immense new quantities of methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through fracking and liquefied natural gas development.

B.C. is already hard-pressed to cope with drought, tinder dry forests and record numbers of wildfires, and it is frightening to contemplate that the climate change we have already locked in ensures that, throughout the lifetime of our children, each year will be even hotter and drier that the one before.

What will remain of our forests and farms, the salmon and free flowing rivers, our lakes and wildlife — the soul “Beautiful British Columbia” — in years to come if our leaders insist on unleashing new sources of carbon into an already dangerously overheated atmosphere?

Forests Minister Steve Thomson claims you can’t legislate against stupidity, but Clark seems intent on proving that you can legislate for it, with an LNG “deal” doomed to accelerate global warming.

Mike Ward, Duncan, B.C.

Fruitful alternative

Re: “Seniors’ pockets picked,” Letters, Edward S. Redshaw, July 13

Is the letter writer aware of seniors’ advocacy groups both locally and federally, such as CARP, Elder Advocates of Alberta and Seniors united Now, to name three?

At least seniors have a voice; those on AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) do not. Laying the blame at the feet of John Pray, CEO of Shepherd’s Care Foundation, does little good. Residences have increasing costs to cover, as do we all, and if funding isn’t increased from time to time, then the money has to come from somewhere.

As for Shaw Cable, it’s a business, and it’s there to make money. Mr Pray has nothing to do with that. The monthly cost of my cable, Internet and phone is around $188 and if I don’t like it, I can either cut down on my service, switch providers or try to get channels over the air.

It is very disillusioning to hear city officials spout off about sustainable cities initiatives and the plan, The Way We Green.

Edmonton has grown immensely in 20 years and with plans to annex more land in the south, our urban footprint will become approximately double that of Calgary with the same population.

Most communities have no grocery stores or other services, so vehicle use is dramatically increasing as are distances travelled. Leapfrog development is plaguing the suburbs with large tracts of chemically treated grass surrounding new subdivisions and mega-malls. Farmland, wetlands and forests have been razed to create this endless sprawl.

A few infill duplexes in mature neighbourhoods and grass recycling appear to be the big green initiatives when what is needed is a clear, concise, long-term densification plan with no more land annexation and an urban growth boundary.

A few highrises downtown may be a good start, but development that is smaller-scale, intelligent, walkable and of human scale is what will make this city more livable, sustainable and attractive.

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